Phillies Mailbag: Trade Deadline, Roster Shape, DFA’d Starters

We are one week away from the July 30th MLB Trade Deadline and the Phillies Mailbag is open.  But all season long we take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in on Tuesday afternoons to hear your questions answered on the air.

What do you think the Phillies need at the deadline? I think they need a bat and high leverage reliever.
~James
How concerned are the Phillies about Alvarado?
~Michael

I think that you're not far off from what the Phillies might need and what they will ultimately do.  I think that the first item the Phillies need is a right-handed bat.  Beyond that, I think that with some relievers leaking oil, another relief arm might not be a bad idea.

The Phillies appear poised to add a right-handed bat.  Recent reports have suggested that the likes of Brent Rooker - in whom the Phillies reportedly had some interest and who put on a power show at Citizens Bank Park - is not a fit.  That suggests they want a right-handed bat they can comfortably put into left field and get production.

Yesterday the Phillies reportedly were out on the big name outfielders but I believe they will get someone, even if it is a platoon bat for left field.

The same report indicated that the Phillies were also looking at a reliever, namely Tanner Scott. Scott has become a top late-inning left-handed reliever for the Miami Marlins.  This would help the Phillies get beyond some of Jose Alvarado's recent struggles.

Speaking of Alvarado, his last seven appearances he has combined for a 9.95 ERA and ugly 2.37 WHIP.  Alvarado has been lacking the command that made him one of the game's most feared relievers.  It's possible he recaptures that command, but sometimes it takes a reliever the whole season to do so.

If I am the Phillies, I would use Matt Strahm in the higher-leverage situations that a lefty reliever would be used for now.

I would still recommend they get some starting pitching depth.  South Jersey's Tyler Phillips has been making the most of his early opportunities.

Who’s getting DFA’d and getting one way tickets out of town because of the trade deadline?
~Ed

Well, I am not sure there are many "one way tickets out of town" among this Phillies group.  There are two spots open on the 40-man roster, which the Phillies probably would fill rather quickly.  But we can identify the spots on the edge of the active roster that might give way to acquisitions.

Current spots on the roster that could turn over:

• Weston Wilson.  Wilson can be optioned to Triple-A, so I think he would be optioned to Triple-A.  Currently occupying the Whit Merrifield roster spot, he is batting .238 with a .642 OPS.  Right now he's probably Triple-A depth the Phillies can call upon to plug a hole.
• Johan Rojas or Cristian Pache.  The Phillies do not need two light-hitting, good glove center fielders on the roster.  Rojas has been batting just .188 in his last seven games, and he appears to be backing off some of the speed-related initiatives he was working on during his brief stint at Triple-A.  Pache isn't hitting much either, but he gives the Phillies the glove and speed.  I can see one or the other staying, possibly with Rojas returning to Triple-A.  I can also see Pache going back to a team in a trade for an outfielder.
• Yunior Marte.  After Monday night's performance, I would not be shocked if he was replaced with another arm from Triple-A prior to Tuesday's game.  The Phillies gave him another chance after Michael Mercado struggled.  He probably is the last arm in the bullpen.
• Jose Ruiz.  Ruiz got off to a good start for the Phillies, but has pitched to a 6.91 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in his last 15 appearances.
• Tyler Phillips.  Should the Phillies add starting depth or see Taijuan Walker return to the roster, Phillips could head back to Triple-A to be starting pitching depth.

On the 40-man roster if the Phillies need spots:

• Kolby Allard.  Allard was brought in as starting pitching depth and lost his spot even in the Triple-A rotation.  There is no real place for him.
• Max Castillo. Also signed as Triple-A starting pitching depth, the Phillies probably would not summon Castillo should they have a need.
• Nick Nelson. After a strong 2023 in Triple-A, Nelson made just one appearance in the major leagues in 2023.   Nelson made three appearances for the Phillies in 2024, but the team does not seem inclined to bring him back.
• Rodolfo Castro.  Castro is on the 40-man roster, but has been injured.  The Phillies could activate him and place him on the 60-day injured list.  The Phillies used that tactic last year.

Spencer Howard was a recent DFA, any chance on a reunion?
~Dave

I am not that big a fan of Spencer Howard's performance this season.  Howard was once a top prospect for the Phillies, but never really lived up to his prospect tag after his trade to the Texas Rangers in 2021.   Howard will be looking to join his third team in 2024.  I am not sure that it will be the Phillies.

Quite frankly, Howard is not much better than anything else the Phillies have.  Howard struggles with his command.  Howard has pitched in nine games this season including three starts between the Cleveland Guardians and the San Francisco Giants, going 1-2 with a 6.21 earned run average.  Howard's WHIP has been 2.00.

I am more curious about what will happen to James Paxton, recently designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  He is currently in the "DFA limbo" as it's often called, in which the Dodgers are in the period of time in which they have between opening up his roster spot and trading or releasing his contract.

I think that the Dodgers will find a trade partner for Paxton.

Paxton is far from perfect; he currently leads the league in walks and has a 1.46 WHIP and 4.97 FIP.   But he could give the Phillies some innings in the fifth spot.  As I mentioned, the Phillies are still thin on the starting pitching depth.

I think the Phillies could probably do even better than Paxton, however.  But I think he's someone I would take a look at before taking a look at Howard, who I am not sure what exactly he could give the Phillies right now.